Cell division is one of the most fundamental events for self-reproduction of living organisms together with DNA-replication. However, it consists of a very complex system, which is coordinated with DNA replication (initiation and termination), membrane biogenesis, and cell-wall synthesis. Because of this complexity, little is known about it. Study of cell division and membrane proteins can be expected to have broad implications with respect to understanding not only the processes of normal growth of cells, but also those resulting in uncontrolled growth such as is found in cases of cancer. In the past four years supported by the grant from the U.S. Public Health Service (present application is the renewal of this grant), we have achieved a great deal of work on cell division and membrane proteins. In the pesent application, we will further continue to work on the systems that we have developed so far. Our long term goals are: a) to solve the control mechanism of bacterial cell division - precise sequence of events leading to cell division, and biochemical characterization of genes involved in cell division, b) to solve the control mechanism of membrane protein synthesis, c) to solve the molecular mechanism of secretion of proteins across the cytoplasmic membrane, d) functional and structural characterization of the lipoprotein of the Escherichia coli outer membrane, and e) development of new vectors for cloning of genes and DNA fragments.